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The Ammo Conspiracy

By Francis X. Clines June 7, 2013 1:11 pmJune 7, 2013 1:11 pm

Keith Srakocic/Associated PressBoxes of .223-ammunition and bullets at Duke’s Sport Shop in New Castle, Pa.

For over a year, survivalist bloggers have waxed apocalyptic about the Department of Homeland Security’s bulk ammunition purchases for its 100,000 peace officers in its 90-plus agencies — “buying up enough ammo to wage seven-year war against the American people,” as one hysteric put it. Others have charged that D.H.S. is deliberately creating a domestic bullet shortage for ordinary Americans intent on pursuing their Second Amendment rights. This concocted issue seemed like an occasion for light amusement until Wednesday evening. That’s when the House seriously voted to block funds for future D.H.S. ammunition needs — until the department submits to Congress a comprehensive report on the history of and justification for its bullet requirements.

The ammo conspiracy first bubbled up from the extremist corners of the Web and infected Capitol Hill some time ago. Last March, Representative Doug LaMalfa, California Republican, sent a letter to D.H.S. Secretary Janet Napolitano with questions about the timing and “astonishing scale” of ammunition buying. “Are these purchases being conducted in a manner that strategically denies the American people access to ammunition?” asked the congressman.

D.H.S. officials have pointed out repeatedly that bulk buying — whether ammunition, computers or stationery — is the norm for reasons of economy, and is especially sensible in the era of sequestration so zealously approved by Congress. D.H.S. says that its plan to buy about 750 million rounds in the next five years — 80 percent for training purposes — is not unusual.
Nevertheless, the measure drew a bipartisan 234-to-192 vote of approval as an amendment to the forthcoming Homeland budget bill, proving, once again, that the gun issue has remarkable power to derange politics.

The Democratic Senate is often relied on to save the Republican House from such pandering excesses. But stay alert: Over in the Senate, Jim Inhofe, the Oklahoma Republican, introduced a measure called the AMMO (Ammunition Management for More Obtainability) Act. It would compel the Government Accountability Office to report on what he is convinced is strategic ammunition hoarding by the Obama administration. It would place limits on purchases if agency stockpiles were higher than in the Bush years.

Senator Inhofe believes the administration will stop at nothing to achieve gun-control. He told Laura Ingraham in April: “We just denied everything that this president and the vice president are trying to do. So what are they going to do if they want to, if they want to violate our Second Amendment rights? Do it with ammo.”